The Sand Pebbles (1966)

In the revolution-torn landscape of 1926 China, the mighty U.S.S. San Pablo, known affectionately as "Sand Pebble" to its crew, navigates the treacherous waters of the Yangtze tributary. This gunboat, along with its British and French counterparts, patrols the teeming rivers amidst the turmoil, striving to maintain a facade of neutrality despite the ever-present threat of attack. Into this volatile environment steps Jake Holman, a newly-appointed chief engineer with a cynical edge. His arrival on board the U.S.S. San Pablo initiates a relentless clash with the entrenched "rice-bowl" system that governs the ship, a delicate balance between the foreign crew and the Chinese populace. Holman's iconoclastic nature disrupts this uneasy symbiosis, his presence serving as a stark reminder of the exploitation that defines these troubled times. As hostility towards the foreign gunboats escalates, the U.S.S. San Pablo is propelled into a perilous mission. The crew is forced to crash through a river-boom in a daring attempt to rescue missionaries stranded upriver at the China Light Mission. Throughout this gripping saga, the tension between the embedded tradition and the relentless tide of revolution weaves a tale of survival, courage, and the indomitable human spirit.

The Sand Pebbles is an adventure movie featuring Steve McQueen.

It is possible to buy The Sand Pebbles on AMC on Demand, Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, Vudu and YouTube.